A Day to Practice Thankfulness

First Snow by Layne Kennedy.

Greetings from the North Shore, where we celebrate Thanksgiving with the first snowfall of the season. We’re also so thankful to all the artists, musicians, and photographers who share their work with us. Thank you.

The 51st  annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be held at the First Congregational Church on Thursday in the Fellowship Hall at 1 pm. Doors open at noon. The meal is free, but donations are gratefully accepted.

The 51st annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner is free and open to the public.

 This year’s menu will include roast turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.

The event was first held in 1974 as a way for individuals without nearby family to enjoy fellowship and good food during the holiday. But since then, for many residents, the dinner has become an important part of their annual holiday celebrations.

Thanksgiving feasts will also be served at several local restaurants and lodges. If you would like to find out more, please click here.

On Friday, holiday festivities begin. There are two holiday markets that will be held in the county, and, in Grand Marais, the Oh Ole Night Parade and Fireworks display will be held. On Saturday, the Hovland Winter Arts Festival is set for the Hovland Town Hall.

Here are the details:

The North Shore Artists League will hold its annual Holiday Art Sale at Waves of Superior in Tofte.

The North Shore Artists League Holiday Sale will be held at Waves of Superior on Friday.

Look for pottery and paintings, cards, fiber art, and more. Refreshments will be available. Open to all.

Also on Friday, the North Shore Winery will hold its annual Holiday Market from 12:30 to 5 pm.

The North Shore Winery will hold a holiday market on Friday, Nov. 28.

This is a popular local market and features pottery, woven goods, artworks, as well as several local vendors. Seasonal drinks will be available, and Bump Bomberg, Gordon Thorne and Steve Sutherland will play from 1:30-3:30 pm.

The Oh Ole Night Christmas Parade and Fireworks will be held in downtown Grand Marais starting at 5:30 pm on Friday.

The Oh Ole Night Parade and Fireworks is on Friday.

This annual festival embraces the area’s rich Scandinavian heritage. Featuring “Sven and Ole” humor and family-friendly festivities that have become a cherished tradition along Minnesota’s North Shore.

Kicking off the festive season, downtown Grand Marais transforms into a holiday wonderland. Drawing families and visitors alike to shop, celebrate, and make memories.  Friday begins with holiday sales at local shops. As evening approaches, downtown comes alive with holiday cheer. The Oh Ole Night Parade, the event’s highlight, starts at 5:30 pm, departing from the Co-Op/Northern Goods parking lot. The parade route winds through Broadway, Wisconsin Street, and 1st Avenue and goes around twice, always a treat for the crowds.

The parade ends at Harbor Park and is followed by the lighting of the Christmas tree and a fireworks display.

Fireworks will follow the parade on Friday.

Following the fireworks, Murray the Moose will be taking photos with attendees at the holiday tree. WTIP Community Radio will air an Oh Ole Night holiday special program at 7 pm.

The annual Hovland Winter Arts Festival will be held at the Hovland Town Hall from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday. This art show features a great selection of holiday gifts, art, and crafts created by local artists.

The Hovland Arts Festival is Nov. 29 from 10 am to 4 pm.

Look for pottery and paintings, handmade wreaths, ornaments, glass work, knit goods and more.

Alisa Berns will have handemade floral wreaths with flowers she grew and dried herself.

Stoneware birch tree mugs by Ann Ward. She will be at the Hovland Winter Arts Festival.

The festival is open to all. Refreshments will be available.

Exhibits:

This is the last weekend to see the community art show at the Johnson Heritage Post: “Transitions: Navigating Change, ” sponsored by Spirit of the Wilderness Episcopal Church.

Transitions: Navigating Change is on view at the Johnson Heritage Post through Sunday.

This is a fascinating multi-media show crafted by artists of every age. Look for paintings, weaving, fiber art, pottery and more. The Heritage Post is open from 10 am to 4 pm Thursday through Saturday and from 1 pm to 4 pm Sunday. It is closed on Thanksgiving Day.

“All Kinds of People,” an exhibit of portraits, continues at the Tweed Museum of Art.

“All Kinds of People,” an exhibit of portraits in a variety of genres and from different periods, is on view at the Tweed Museum of Art.

 Upcoming:

Next weekend, the Grand Marais Playhouse will open a play, and three holiday sales will be held in the county.

The Witch’s Princess, a production of the Grand Marais Playhouse, opens at the ACA Friday, Dec. 5. For info, tickets, click here.

The Northwoods Fiber Guild Open House and Holiday Sale is Saturday, Dec. 6 at Studio 21 from 9 am to 2 pm.

A Holiday Market will be held at Studio 17 on Sat., Dec. 6. For more info, click here.

The Grand Portage Christmas Craft Sale will be held in the Grand Portage Visitor Center on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 10 am to 3 pm. For more info, click here.

Artists at Work:

Singing Waters by Musa Abdel-rahman.

Untitled by Marty Harris.

L’il Green Cup, acrylic, by Kat Corrigan.

Untitled, pastel on paper by Carolyn Olson. She is one of the artists exhibiting at the Zeitgeist Cafe.

Cityscape, watercolor, by Amy Vorhees.

Zandi and Lola by Rachel Rae Rae.

A sample of sculptor Steven Woodward’s latest work.

Today I shall have Green by Mary Beams.

Two Coots looking down on a brown trout, linocut, by Victoria Ford.

The beginning by David Seaton.

 Online Findings:

Ice Skating on Kimball Lake 

Skating on Kimball Lake by David Welch. To see the video, click here.

Sparky Stensaas is Birding Again

 Online Music:

Jimmy Cliff got his start writing and recording music as a teenager, working with Jamaican producer Leslie Kong. Around this same time, he introduced Mr. Kong to another young talent – the one and only Bob Marley, kick-starting his career as well.

Here are three selections from the The Harder They Come soundtrack, a film Jimmy Cliff starred in. He also wrote and performed the bulk of the music. The first two tracks were frequently covered by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. The third is one of the most stirring vocal performances in recorded music. I chose more recent live recordings for the last two tracks because it is notable that Mr. Cliff remained an active and impressive performing artist well into the 21st century.

;

The last song is a personal pick. Jimmy Cliff’s creative peak was in the early to mid-1970s, and there are so many great tracks to choose from, but this one has such an irresistible groove to it that it has to be my choice for a fifth and final song.

RIP, Jimmy Cliff. He is a mainstay on my “Man in the Hills” mixes, and I will miss having him in our world. This is a big loss.

Photographs:

Here is a selection of photographs we found this week:

Wildlife:

A heron surveying the possibilities this Monday morning, Salish sea at the border by John Cannell.

This buck knows how to hide during hunting season by Bill Marchel.

Black-backed woodpecker finds a tasty morsel by Jill Beim.

Male Pine Grosbeak has lots to choose from by Bill Marchel.

American Wigeon by Jill Beim.

Hmmmm. Where to start? Bohemian Waxwing by Jill Beim

Rough-legged hawk by Jill Beim.

Canada Jay by Jill Beim.

Black Phoebe by Jill beim.

Gray-crowned Rosy Finch, typically found in the West by Jill Beim.

I’m starting to blend in by Maryl Skinner.

Foxy by Paul Ostrum.

A muskrat wake by Sandra Updyke.

On a frosty morning by Bill Marchel.

Northwoods Fisher by Nicholas Narog.

Yellowline Arrow Crabs courtesy of Amy and Dave Freeman.

Sneaking through by Paul Ostrum.

Hoping for snow by Janice Latz.

Besties. Photographer unknown.

 Potpourri

Washing blankets in Lake Superior. Johanna Tofte Engelsen is washing blankets on the shore of Lake Superior with a friend. Photo courtesy of Terry Backlund.

Frosty waves of lace by Tijhe Fireweed.

Thanksgiving weekend, rural Wisconsin farm by Layne Kennedy.

Duluth architecture is always amazing by Jan Swart.

I accidentally bumped the camera while taking a photo of fireworks by Carl Anderson.

Lift Bridge Magic by Hayes Scriven. It celebrates its 95th anniversary this year.

Landscapes, Waterscapes & Cloudscapes:

Reaching for the sky by Buck Benson.

November waves by 506 images.

My view by Roxann Berglund.

Grand Marais at sunset by Chuck Olsen.

Right beside Hollow Rock by Dan Collins.

Foggy day on the Grand Marais walkway by Carl Anderson.

Just a hint of sunset by Roxanne Distad.

Another Grand Marais sunrise by David Johnson.

The Big Lake by Nancy Dumas.

Lake Superior Fury by Hayes Scriven.

Sunset along the rocky shoreline by Ken Harmon.

 Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

BTW: This is a perfect time to thank everyone who has contributed to the success of NorthShore ArtScene. Thank you so much. And may you have a good holiday season.

And thank you to Jeremy Lopez and Yvonne Mills for their invaluable help each week.